Life Extension

Brief description of product

The commercial viability of operating gas pipelines decreases with time. This is because the structural integrity levels of the pipeline decrease, due to deterioration processes such as corrosion and fatigue. Eventually, the level of mitigation required to ensure adequate safety levels becomes uneconomical. For this reason pipelines are designed to a nominal life of, say, 40 years.
In order to assess the viability of increasing the life of a pipeline, Advantica use a technique known as Structural Reliability Analysis (SRA). SRA can be used to validate the extension of asset life beyond that for which it was originally designed. SRA will identify which components of the asset need to be replaced and which ones will remain fit-for-purpose for the extended life. This approach allows an operator to save significant capital expenditure compared to full system replacement, while maintaining reliability at appropriate levels over the extended life.

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Enhancing Safety and Performance

Advantica Limited 2008. All rights reserved.

What are the benefits?

Significant Capital Expenditure savings by delay or avoidance of new-build without compromising reliability. Independent justification of safe operation to Regulator. Robust documentation suitable for rigorous technical audit. Allows the operator to target resources towards maintaining or improving integrity as the effect of the failure mitigating measures on pipeline reliability is quantified.

Capability Examples
SRA was successfully used to justify extending the life of an offshore pipeline and topside processing facilities in the North Sea, beyond that for which it was originally designed. The system was near the end of its original 30-year design life and therefore, a full replacement of the pipeline and facilities were planned by the operator at significant cost. After applying SRA techniques, it was concluded that the pipeline and vast majority of the facilities would remain fit-for-purpose for another 30 years. The components limiting the life of the facilities were identified in order to optimise inspection, maintenance and replacement. SRA was used to significantly extend the expected life of an onshore/offshore gas transmission pipeline that had been commissioned five years previously. This gave the operator financial benefit from depreciating the asset over a longer life. This application of SRA also showed that a planned in-line inspection could be deferred, giving immediate savings.

Proven Track Record

Customers for this and related studies include
Premier Transmission BG

For further information please contact: Advantica Ashby Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3GR Switchboard Sales Enquiries Tel: +44 (0)1509 282000 Tel: +44 (0)1509 282525 Fax: +44 (0)1509 283131 Email: info.uk@advanticagroup.com

www.advanticagroup.com

Enhancing Safety and Performance

15467_JC 22.08 2008 Advantica Limited 2008. All rights reserved.